


The Road To Hateno

by out_of_the_woodsyet



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Existential Crisis, F/M, Post-Breath of the Wild, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Self-Reflection, Worry, i know how annoying it is to click on a fic for a character who's there for five seconds, there are a lot of characters from botw but i wont tag them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2019-08-26 02:27:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16673005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/out_of_the_woodsyet/pseuds/out_of_the_woodsyet
Summary: A/N MAJOR SPOILERS! When I was playing Breath of the Wild, I kind of assumed after talking with Purah at the Hateno Tech Lab that when I met Zelda at the end she was going to be an old woman, and that the de-aging technology was going to come into play with her. The end of the game was still beautiful and made me cry, but it wasn’t what I had thought, so I started thinking about Zelda being old and what that could mean for Zelda and Link’s reunion. So I wrote it down. Enjoy!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Link is mute in this, but I’m putting what he signs in parentheses instead of italics to make formatting easier.
> 
> The passage of time in this fic is based off of me testing the rout I chose in the game. All days, hours, etc listed are according to the way time passes in the game. Their speed on foot is when I have Link walking at the slowest pace possible, and their speed on horseback is after pressing the A button once.

Link threw his head to one side to free his face of stray hairs as the wind whipped around him. The beauty of Hyrule was far from Link’s mind, the planes and mountains and secrets he had explored were cast into a deep place for safekeeping. The hope, the fear, the anticipation of a reunion with blue eyes of a distant memory were stored neatly out of sight, mere preamble to the sweat running down his back, to the horse beneath him pounded the earth with her hooves, and to the giant hog-like creature he was destined to battle. 

Ganon, a being of pure malice and hatred, charged through the grass and trees, emitting a ghastly red energy as his rampage aimed again and again at his opponent. Link and his horse avoided the massive hooves as Ganon thrashed, and as Ganon’s furor grew their reflexes were forced to become quicker. Yellow emblems shone out of the darkness, a stark contrast to the shadowy beast and the red, rushing clouds overhead. With instruction from Zelda’s voice whispering in his mind, Link knew that those golden beacons were his targets. 

The Bow of Light, a gift from his princess, could be aimed with such perfect fluidity Link felt as though the weapon were an extension of his body. Surely Zelda’s influence was being used to give Link peak performance. Arrow after arrow flew at the beast, and Link let out tiny breaths of relief when he heard Ganon’s irritated yowls following a direct hit.

His foe was growing weaker, but not letting up. Rage was overflowing from Ganon, practically tangible as Link continued his assault. Through the haze Link spotted a final yellow spot, centered on Ganon’s stomach.

Link nudged his horse slightly away from the beast. Ganon reared up to turn and follow, giving Link the perfect opening. Sitting backwards on his horse, Link unfurled a single arrow, hitting Ganon dead center in the gut.

“We’re so close!” Zelda called as their opponent roared in pain. Link didn’t know if she could hear his thoughts, but he desperately repeated yes my lady, yes my lady as he drove his horse back towards Ganon.

Before a plan could form in his mind, though, Zelda’s voice rang out: “Link! Look up there!”

Link only had a split second to see what was happening and yank the reins of his horse. Light and energy and heat exploding from a massive, throbbing eye in the middle of the beast’s forehead. 

“That is the very core of Ganon’s being!” Zelda's voice said. “Do what you must, Link!”

Yes my lady. Yes my lady.

Link set his horse on a course beside the beast, and hoped that the two could find safety in a blind spot waiting for the eye to open again. 

The pair were given no such luck. With a flick of his neck, Ganon sent a burst of dark energy from its mouth, scorching the earth, singeing the tail hairs of the horse and sending Link flying from his steed.

The fall, the heat, the earth and sky spinning and swapping places endlessly until he collided with the former plunged Link into disorientation. He didn’t have time for this, every second was precious, but if he couldn’t find his feet there was no hope for him. Finally he collided face-first with the dirt. Link scrambled to his hands and knees, dizzy, tired, bruises and battered. In a panic Link skimmed his surroundings and locked his vision onto Ganon. His eye was opening again, but Link’s horse was galloping away. Desperately Link tried to think, and without meaning to looking back at the flaming grass, and the consequent updraft. Link’s eyes flew open. That’s it!

The eye was open, Ganon was ready to attack. With every bit of his energy, Link sprinted towards the flames. He dove into the blaze, and just before his feet could touch the ground he opened his parasail and flew skyward. In seconds he was level with the eye. 

The combatants locked eyes with each other. Letting go of the glider and drawing the Bow of Light, Link breathed out, and relaxed his fingers. As the final arrow flew he felt his entire body relax, and watched, as if time had slowed, as the light pierced the beast. 

Ganon’s roar blasted through the air as he writhed, the sound wave throwing Link backwards just as a ball of beautiful light flew up from the beast like a shooting star. After he opened his paraglider he caught a quick glance of the center of the light; a figure, shrouded in divine glory, wearing a white dress. 

Zelda! 

The Princess floated to the ground to face Ganon. Link’s impulse was to run to his lady, to protect her from any final attacks, but she was unafraid, unmoved like an old oak in a storm. 

With the last of his might, Ganon was once again transforming. Ganon let out an aura of anger as his body morphed into swirling clouds of black and red. He flew into the air and dove for one final attack, but Zelda let out her own light. The malice in the air was being vaporized by Zelda’s explosion of sun-yellow radiance. Furious heat became fresh and cool, rueful bitterness turned to fondness and hope. Ganon’s dark influence was eroding away. Within Zelda’s power was something truly beautiful. 

Ganon dissipated, shrieking as his form was torn to shreds by Zelda’s divine light. Zelda’s light grew and grew, swallowing Ganon whole until suddenly, it was all gone. The clouds overhead slowed, the scorched Earth beneath Link’s body expanded and grew life. A gentle breeze swayed the tall grass around him and ran its fingers through his hair, turning his sweat cold. The world felt quiet, peaceful, new. 

Tired, excited, nervous, Link moved towards Zelda. Zelda, Zelda, my Princess Zelda. The colors of evil were fading, his journey was over, now it was just she and Link. Zelda, Zelda, my past, my princess, my lady, my lady. Her back was turned to him. An uncanny feeling crept through Link’s mind as he looked at her. As he approached… something was different. Had she always had that slouch? Was her hair always that color? For a moment Link was left wondering if his memories had been inaccurate, but when she turned to greet him he understood, and he felt his heart skip a beat. 

“Thank you, Link... the hero of Hyrule.”

Before him stood an old woman, wearing an aged white dress and ornate gold jewelry. Long grey hair flowed in the wind, rippling creases along her face deepening as she looked at him. If he had passed her on the street in a village he would have considered her a stranger, but her eyes, those blue eyes locked onto him he would know anywhere. 

“I look a bit different than you remember,” the old woman said. “Do you remember me?”

Disbelief turned to sadness as he looked at his princess. Zelda, the princess of Hyrule, his spiritual guide since he had opened his eyes in the Temple of Resurrection, and the central subject of his elusive memories that would taunt him in the day and swim through his mind at night, was now and old woman. It had been 100 years, hadn’t it? Had he really expected her to strut out of the castle as a 17 year old? 

“Are you surprised?” Zelda asked, in a voice much older than the one she had used to reach out to Link from the castle. “Or perhaps disappointed?”

Link tried to avoid eye contact but couldn’t. He could keep nothing from her, because at the moment, she was all he knew, the only person he felt could understand him.

“I’m sorry, [my lady],” Link signed to her, addressing Zelda by the sign for “princess”, holding two extended fingers to his right shoulder, then left shoulder, and finally his left hip. “I was so focused on finding my memories of you, I neglected to think you might be different.”

Zelda chuckled. “I daresay we are both very different than who we were 100 years ago.” Zelda signed and looked to the horizon, where the dawn of a new day was just beginning to peak over the mountains down at a sleeping Hyrule. 

Link looked to the sunrise too, trying his best to hold those emotions back. Now wasn’t the time to cry. He had to be strong for his lady. “What will we do now?” he asked. “Should we go to the castle?”

“We could,” Zelda said, “But we must also plan our trip to Hateno.”

Link blinked, confused. “Hateno?”

“Indeed,” Zelda affirmed. “Her methods aren’t perfect, but Impa’s sister may hold the key to my future.”

Link’s knees almost buckled. Purah! Of course! The 120 year old scientist of Hateno Village who, while testing an age-reversing rune, had accidentally turned herself into a 6 year old. 

The whiplash of going from calm to surprise to sadness to revelation was making Link dizzy, but if there was a new task ahead he could put his emotions aside and work. Out of instinct Link reached for his Sheikah Slate to teleport to his destination, but his hand froze midway when he realized he couldn’t take another person with him. 

Link looked to his frail companion and bit his lip. Zelda was a fragile, hunch-backed old woman, not in the best shape for travel. On top of that his horse was nowhere to be found. How was he going to get her all the way to Hateno? 

Link’s hand finished its original path to the Sheikah Slate and pulled up the map of Hyrule. He and Zelda were currently south of Hyrule Castle. If they traveled East past the Mabe Village Ruins and travel along the road, they could make it to the Wetland Stable on foot. Link could get a horse for himself and for Zelda, and then together they could ride to Hateno. He explained this plan to Zelda, and while she seemed moderately optimistic he was not so sure. He would most likely have to carry her as they went on foot, and as they stood in the grass within eyesight of their victory, the sun was rising on Hyrule. They needed to find shelter for Zelda before it was dark, and… wait, would skeleton bokoblins still appear? Were they a product of Ganon or of just general mischief? Looking around he couldn’t see any Guardians either, but Link's paranoia was escalating.

He was snapped out of his distressed state by sudden chuckling from his companion. He whipped his head around and found Zelda, holding a dainty hand to her mouth as she laughed. 

“Still so serious,” she said. Her old, creaking voice had a surprising lightness to it, and Link’s face flushed, partially in embarrassment and partially with a rush of emotion, seeing her mannerisms in person rather than in sudden, flashing memories. “Link, I have watched over you as you fought. From the moment you woke up you have shown your determination. I trust you as my guide, my most loyal knight.”

Link took a deep breath and nodded. Yes my lady, yes my lady.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Zelda begin their journey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this one is a lil boring

Before they set out Link unslung his pack and rummaged through his belongings. He insisted that Zelda’s tattered dress and supportless sandals would not do for their journey, and quickly looked through his inventory to see if he had any clothing Zelda could wear. At first he suggested that he could lend her his blue hero’s tunic, as it had been magically enhanced for defense far past his other clothes, but Zelda maintained that she had made that shirt for one person only, and refused to wear it. Eventually the princess accepted Link’s Hylian hooded cape, and after some borderline begging from Link she agreed to swap out her sandals for the matching boots he had earned along with the the Trousers of the Wild. 

At the outset of their journey, around 5am, Zelda said that she could walk by herself, but after only a few steps Northward it was clear that she could not keep pace with Link. They walked together for some time, Zelda holding onto Link’s arm for support, until she had to admit she was out of breath. After that Link carried her on his back, and it took over 2 hours to get from where they began in the middle of Hyrule Field to the road. 

Once they reached the level ground of the path Zelda asked to be put down and walk by herself. Link checked the Sheikah Slate: 7am.

“Are we making good time?” Zelda asked. Link did not answer. 

The path took them Eastward. Zelda still needed a little help from Link, holding onto the crook of his arm with her wrinkled hands. Link’s free hand was tense, and his finger twitched and he craned his neck to look through the tall grass and to the distant hills around them for any potential threats. The morning was not hot but Link could feel sweat on his scalp and under his gloves. Ganon was defeated… but were the Guardians? 

Just before a cluster of trees on the road was an old Guardian covered in moss. For obvious reasons Link preferred the moss-covered Guardians to those without, but he had expected to at least hear a few stomping in the distance. Hyrule Field had been their personal playground for a century, so where were the menacing robots who any other day would snipe him to their heart's’ content? As the travelers approached the mossy artifact, they both gasped, quietly but simultaneously. Behind it’s long-dormant friend was another Guardian, toppled over onto of a few of it’s legs like a pathetic spider. There was no moss on it, but the thing’s single eye and ring around its rotating belfry were not glowing blue. 

“Has its power gone?” Zelda asked, her fingers tightening around Link’s shirt sleeve. 

Link wasn’t sure. It seemed too good to be true. He was pretty sure he had a few ancient arrows with him, but if his bow was drawn who was watching the princess? 

The two snuck to the cluster of trees by the road, Zelda trying her best not to drag her feet so loudly that they might he heard. When she was concealed Link jogged back out into the open, purposefully rustling some grass. No movement came from the machine. Quietly, Link drew his Falcon Bow and sent a simple wooden arrow arrow directly at the thing’s eye, but the arrow bounced off uselessly with a dull thwack!

Link couldn’t believe it. Was it really over?

Cautiously optimistic, the pair continued on the road. The nearby fork in the road lead to the visible Ranch Ruins. They didn’t need to go that way, it was a dead end, but Link’s eyes darted that direction every few seconds. He had seen a Guardian there once or twice. And mounted Bokoblins on horseback. But everything was quiet now. Too quiet, far too quiet. 

The nearby Mabe Village Ruins had never housed any foes as far as Link could remember, so it felt like a safe enough place to stop for an early lunch. Link checked his slate. Just after 11AM.

Link had cooked several hearty meals in preparation for his journey through Hyrule Castle to his battle with Ganon, and while he had eaten most of them he still had five left, which he would divvy up two for himself and three for Zelda until they could find a safe place to cook. It shouldn’t have surprised her, but Link insisted that Zelda have his most healthy dish: salmon meuniere. By this point she was too tired to object, and she daintily ate her meal sitting in the shade of a dilapidated building. 

After finishing his own lunch of chicken curry and rice, Link handed Zelda a bottle of milk and told her to rest some more while he checked their surroundings. In the noon sunshine he climbed to the top of an immense rock as wide and tall as a building in old Castle Town. At the rock’s crest he had a much better view of the area. Hyrule Castle was to the Northwest, no longer surrounded by a dark aura. Just a building. It felt uncanny to look at this way, so with a shiver Link turned another direction. To the Northeast he could see Death Mountain, to the Southeast Dueling Peaks, and just North of that the pillars of Kakariko Village. According to his map, today’s destination, Wetland Stable, was directly to his West, and with the help of his scope he could see the stable’s wooden horse head-shaped roof peaking above the trees.

Link could see no stomping Guardians, only limp hunks of metal that could not hurt him, and even with his scope he could not find any Bokoblins or even Moblins. Had they run away? Gone back to dens to hide? 

As he was pondering this he noticed a smaller rock on the boulder’s crest, not much larger in diameter than the sole of his boot. A familiar, playful suspicion crossed Link’s mind. He crept up beside it, lifted it above his head, and was rewarded with a young Korok bouncing into view with a hoot of excitement. 

“Yahaha!” the Korok giggled. “You found me!” The high-spirited Korok sapling swayed happily as they looked up at Link through the eyeholes of a large leaf mask. “Hello, Mister Hero!” they tittered. “The sky got dark and scary a while ago! Were you fighting the big bad guy?”

Link nodded.

“Wooooow!” the little one gasped. “This is a big deal! I have to go home! I have to tell everybody!!!” Without another word the little one waddled away on their stumpy little legs. 

In another few minutes Zelda was rested and ready to hike again. Zelda and Link made it to the cross paths around noon and made their way northeast along the road, meeting no opposition along the way, save yet another inactive guardian and the occasional chuchu. When the road curved westward by the Applean Forest, Zelda indicated Vah Ruta in the distance with a shaking hand, saying: “I hope to visit the Zora King some day soon. And young Sidon. I haven’t seen him since he was a child…” Vah Ruta was just as dormant as the Guardians. How long would it take to grow moss?

Zelda needed a break around 5 and they hit the road about 45 minutes later, but she was significantly weary and their pace slowed even further. She was soldiering on admirably, but Link didn’t want her to strain herself. He guided her to the smoothest parts of the road and had her rest in the shade of trees and clouds.

The day dwindled. The sun was setting. Night was coming, and with it, monsters. 

Just before the bridge were the dilapidated ruins of what may have been a house atop a small hill overlooking the peaceful flowing waters of Hylia River. In the present it was no more than half of a crumbling roof held up on poles, enough for maybe one night of rest. For a moment Zelda’s spirit was low and Link was ready to suggest stopping, until Zelda caught sight of lights through the trees and across the river. 

“There!” she said. She was sweating, but a fire was back in her eyes. Wetland Stable was right there, they could make it before dark!

Suddenly a cry pierced the night air. In the dim twilight Link could see the source: Leekah, one of the employees of the stable, was quivering in fear on the wooden bridge between them and the other side of the river, and in the blink of an eye Link drew his sword. Leekah was being intimidated by a Bokoblin, a feisty blue gremlin with glowing red eyes with no regrets swinging a deadly club at an unarmed person. 

So they aren’t all gone, Link thought as his anger bubbled in his chest. They weren’t only minions of Ganon. Hyrule is their home. Their hunting ground.

In a dozen steps Link was on the bridge with the Bokoblin’s attention. It gurgled menacingly before leaping at him. Link blocked the monster’s strike easily with his shield, and after a few more ineffective swipes Link swung his sword and knocked his opponent into the river. 

When his sword was sheathed Leekah approached. Her posture was hunched and her hands clasped together, sort of embarrassed. “Thanks for helping me… again.” She sighed. “I really should learn to use a sword. Especially if whatever was happening by Hyrule Castle means more monsters are on the way.”

“Quite the opposite.” Link and Leekah turned to see an amused Zelda shuffling their way. “This young man defeated Ganon only a few hours ago.”

Shocked, Leekah took a step back. “Really?”

“Yes,” Zelda affirmed. “I was lucky enough to have witnessed the whole thing. This young man is Hyrule’s chosen hero, and he defeated Ganon with the sword of legend.” 

The moment of awe was suddenly gone and Leekah was looking at her rescuer dubiously. Even with her stooped posture Leekah was clearly taller than Link. “Maybe you need to get your eyes checked, Granny,” Leekah said, and with one last glance at Link’s slim figure she jogged back towards the stable. 

“I think you did more work than me,” Link signed to Zelda, partially because he thought so but mostly to distract himself from person number five million to comment negatively on his size. 

“It was a group effort,” Zelda said smiling. “Pay her no mind. I’m sure people her age, who were born after the Calamity, have a hard time imagining a world different than the one they know, much less a person who could change it.” Link had never thought of that before. 

Once again offering an arm for Zelda to hold onto, the two crossed the bridge. It was late, and dark, and the only light they could see besides the moon were the lanterns of the stable. The shrine Link remembered being just a stone’s throw away was no longer illuminated.

The princess and her knight approached the doorless entrance of the stable’s attachment, which had beds to accommodate travelers. Link hoped a vacant bed could be rented for Zelda, but just as he was thinking that, a familiar voice from within the sleeping quarters caught Link’s attention. 

“...thank you for your time,” the voice was saying to another person, and as Link and Zelda stepped into the lantern light of the inn Link saw the voice’s owner. Kaas, the Rito bard, was talking with a stable employee. The humanoid bird, lovely blue feathers and a collapsed accordion by his side, towered over his Hylian counterparts, stout but harmless, and spoke as politely and concisely as any musician of royalty could hope to. “Please do send word if you--” The Rito’s attentive eyes caught sight of Link as he stepped into the candle light, and the feathers on his neck ruffled in surprise.

“My friend!” Kaas exclaimed, and the stable employee scuttled away, aware that his role in this affair was over. Link and his princess approached, and to his surprise, Kaas embraced him. The two of them had had fine enough interactions, helping one another with songs and tasks, but Link had never known Kaas to be the hugging type. 

“Champion,” Kaas said when they separated. “Early this morning the shrines around my village stopped glowing. Forgive me, but initially I feared the worst.” The relief in Kaas’s eyes explained the hug. “Today has been so strange, I had no idea what to think of it, but when I set out to look for you the Guardians were dormant, the monsters seemed to be retreating… Have you completed your quest?”

Link smiled, and gave the Rito a single, firm nod. 

Kaas’s eyes squinted in delight. 

With the bard’s help, Link lead Zelda to a sturdy wooden chair to rest her feet. The three sat together at a round table far enough from the other guests to have some privacy, and discreetly Link introduced Kaas to Zelda, and explained that she had been freed from the castle when Ganon fell. 

“As I live and breathe,” Kaas said in hushed tones, looking at the princess in awe. “I have been told stories of your intelligence and grace, it’s almost unbelievable that you could sit before me as a living, breathing person.”

“Oh, you flatter me,” Zelda chuckled. “Link, I hope you haven’t been making up fairy tales that I was some sort of flawless being.”

“Link was not the source of my… biased knowledge of you,” Kaas said with a smile. “What I know of you I learned from my teacher. He was a Sheikah, the royal family’s bard in your day. Do you remember him, m’lady?”

Zelda’s eyes widened. “Oh how could I forget such a kind soul!” she said with one hand over her heart. 

“It saddens me that he did not live to see Ganon defeated,” Kaas said forlornly, “but his loyalty to you and to the hero of Hyrule has lived on in me. As his student he passed on the songs of our land, our cultural history.” He blinked and scooted his chair closer to the table, closer to Zelda. “M’lady, if I may… I believe that my mission is not yet over. I feel that my purpose is to continue his work. If you would permit me, I wish to create new songs, a song of yours and the Champion’s fight against Ganon.”

Link looked to Zelda. Her eyes were bright, her posture reserved. This was not a conversation with little old lady Zelda. Sitting at the table was Princess Zelda. 

“I think your teacher would be very proud of you,” Zelda said, her voice even and regal. “Yes, you may write a song about our fight with Ganon. My word, there is so much to tell you, not just from today, but from 100 years ago.” 

Link interjected that it was late, and that Zelda needed to rest for the journey ahead, but he could feel Kaas’ determination resonating from his feathers. Zelda offered that she could at least give Kaas a small bit to start with, to experiment with on his accordion before receiving the larger story at later dates, and that plan suited everyone just fine. 

Dutifully, Kaas reached inside his travel bag and produced a bundle of blank sheets of paper and a quill. From deeper within his pack he brought out an inkwell, and he laid all these things out neatly on the table, ready to take notes. As the candle light flickered and the other guests made their way to bed, Zelda and Link told Kaas of the shape of Ganon, of his varied forms in the Divine Beasts and in the castle itself. Link’s journey to the sanctum, the Beast’s assistance, Zelda’s sealing magic, and the strength of the two combined in the Bow of Light. 

“Bow of Light,” Kass repeated quietly as he transferred the concept to paper. Link also watched Kaas scribble “night” and “might” beside it as potential rhymes. 

Zelda and Link gave brief mention to the innards of the castle itself, crumbling and inhabited by every foe imaginable, but when Zelda began to yawn into her hands Kaas politely ended their tales. “I think this is enough to start,” Kaas said. He looked over his notes, which were brief quips that spanned about a half of a piece of parchment. “I have my teacher’s sheet music, so in the future I can try to match the tone of the old songs with the new.” 

Zelda asked where Kaas was going to go once the morning came. Link explained their plans to reach Hateno and what they hoped to accomplish there, and said that Kaas was welcome to join them. Again, the Rito had unexpected plans. 

“I can travel much faster than a horse,” he explained. “That is how I was able to go from stable to stable, village to village. If you so wish, I can travel through Hyrule to spread the word that the princess has returned, along with her champion.” Link looked shocked. Zelda looked amused. “If I do, I will not mention anything past that. If de-aging is possible, then Zelda will assume her role of princess as a young woman, but if not…” 

“If not,” Zelda continued for him, “then word of a princess’s return and an evil defeated will still be of good use to the people of Hyrule. My age is not important. What is important is for the people of Hyrule to know that they are free.” 

The three agreed, and with high spirits they climbed into cozy beds and drifted off to sleep.


End file.
